Scammers claim to be sheriff, have prize money

San Joaquin County sheriff's investigators on Saturday disclosed the details of an unusually elaborate scam that involved, among other deceptions, someone claiming to be Sheriff Steve Moore.

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By The Record

recordnet.com

By The Record

Posted Oct. 6, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By The Record

Posted Oct. 6, 2013 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

San Joaquin County sheriff's investigators on Saturday disclosed the details of an unusually elaborate scam that involved, among other deceptions, someone claiming to be Sheriff Steve Moore.

It started Tuesday when the victims, who live in Thornton, got a call from someone who claimed to be an employee with Publisher's Clearing House. The caller said that the victims had won $600,000 in a contest four years ago, but that the check had been stolen from the mail and cashed in Mexico.

The thief had been prosecuted, the caller said, and the FBI would be contacting the victims to help them get the money.

Indeed, someone claiming to be an FBI agent called later that day and said he had arranged to have the money sent from Mexico. He said someone from the Sheriff's Office would contact the victims to verify that he was an FBI agent and that this was not a scam.

On Wednesday, someone called claiming to be Moore. The person said he'd been in touch with the FBI and said the victims would soon receive the money.

Finally, the purported FBI agent called back again and said the victims would have to pay a duty tax of $2,800. The victims went to the bank and sent two payments of $1,400 to Mexico City via Western Union.

The victims got one last call from the "FBI agent" on Thursday. He said he had paperwork that the victim needed to fill out for tax purposes to be able to claim the money.

The man was supposed to call again Friday, and when he didn't, the victims called the Sheriff's Office.

Scams are common, but "this particular one was very elaborate," sheriff's officials said. They said they wanted the public to be aware of what had happened.